Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Visits TICAD KAIZEN Center in Addis  

Addis Ababa, February 16/2024 (ENA) Minister of Industry of Ethiopia,  Melaku Alebel and  Fukazawa Yoichi, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan  discussed the development of the manufacturing sector and the future economic growth in African countries including Ethiopia.  

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan visited TICAD KAIZEN Center in Addis Ababa today. 

In 2018, Japan agreed to grant over 20 million USD for the Project of the Construction of the TICAD KAIZEN Center which was completed and handed over to the Government of Ethiopian in October 2023.

During the visit, Fukazawa had a meeting with Minister of Industry of Ethiopia, Melaku Alebel and discussed the development of the manufacturing sector and the future economic growth in African countries including Ethiopia as a result of permeating KAIZEN notion and training KAIZEN consultants at the Center. 

On the occasion, Fukazawa said that Japan expects that, in near future, the TICAD KAIZEN Center will become the hub for developing human resources who lead the future of business and industry in the African continent as a whole.

Ethiopia has been focusing on human resource development incorporating Japanese 'kaizen' as a measure to strengthen industrial competitiveness and promote manufacturing. 

However, the former Kaizen Excellence Centre (KEC) does not have adequate training facilities, and the training is limited to Addis Ababa, which has been an obstacle to nationwide dissemination. 

Therefore, the project aims to improve the human resource development function of the KEC by developing a training and administration office building and an accommodation building, and procuring equipment for training. 

In addition, the objectives of the project are to accept trainees not only from Ethiopia but also from all over Africa, and to utilize the KEC as a facility for learning kaizen and contributing to improving the quality and productivity of industries in Africa.